Drilling unit



May 17, 1955 l J. P. CALDWELL DRILLING UNIT 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Joe R Caldwell IN VEN TOR May 17, 1955 J. P. CALDWELL 2,708,566

DRILLING UNIT Filed Nov. 26, 1951 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 86 90 Flg.4

Joe EGaIdwe/l INVENToR.

Man. BY @g/away 15. mty,

United States :Patent ice 2,708,566 Patented May 17, 1955 This invention relates to new and useful improvements indrilling units and the primary object of the present invention is to provide a drill unit void of a drill pipe, casing and complicated machinery which is capable of drilling deep holes without excessive weight induced in the hole or upon the derrick operatively connected to the unit.

supported in section A still further aim of the present invention is to provide being had -to 'the accompanying drawings forming part hereofjwherein like numerals refer to like parts throughout, and in which:

Figure 1 is an elevational view of the invention lowered in a hole;

Figure 2 a perspective view of the basket used in the present invention and with parts thereof broken away;

I Figure 3 is a bottom plan view'taken` on the plane -of section line 3,43 of Figure 4;

`Figure 4 is an enlarged longitudinal `vertical sectional view of Figure l, the basket being removed.

Figure 5 is a transverse longitudinal sectional view taken-substantially on the plane of section line-54S of Figure 4;

Figure 6 is a transverse longitudinal sectional view taken substantially on 'the plane of section line 6-6 of Figure 4;

Figure 7 is a transverse horizontal sectional view taken substantially on the plane of section line 7-7 of Figure 4; and,

Figure 8 is a transverse horizontal sectional View taken substantially on the plane of section line 8-8 of Figure 4.

Referring now to the drawings in detail, wherein for the purpose of illustration, there is disclosed a preferred embodiment of the present invention, the numeral 10 represents an elongated hollow body composed of upper and lower cylindrical sections 12 and 14, the upper anged end 16 of a tubular member 1S is slidably received in the upper section 12 andthe lower flanged end 20 of the member 18-s secured in the upper en d of section 14 by fastenets 22. A centrally apertured disk 24 is secured in the 2 lower end of section 12 by fasteners Z6 and its central aperture slidably receives element 18 whereby the sections 12 and 14 are slidably connected together.

Additional means is provided for slidably connecting the sections 12 and 14. This means will also prevent relative rotation between the sections and will center the body 10 in a hole H into which the present invention is iowered. This means consists of a plurality of upper and lower slidably connected arms 28 and 30. The upper arms 28 are tubular and slidably receive the upper reduced ends 32 of the lower arms 30.

The upper laterally projecting ends 34 of the arms 28 are slidably over horizontal lugs 36 on the section 12, and the lower laterally projecting hollow ends 38 of the arms 30 are slidably received over horizontal lugs 4l) projecting radially outwardly from the lower end of section i4. A coil spring 42 s positioned in each of the hollow lugs 36, 40 and the ends 34 or 38 fitted thereover to yieldingly urge the arms 28, 34) from the outer periphery of body 1t).4 Suitable stop means may be employed for limiting sliding movement of the ends 34 and 38 on their supporting lugs, such as pins carried by the ends 34 and 38 slidably received in slots in the lugs, as shown in Figure 4.

Upper and lower bearings 44 and 46 are removably 14 and rotatably support a tubular outwardly below the electric motor 52, supported in the section 14, is operatively connected tothe shaft 48 vto rotate the same.

A tubular member 54 supports a ball-bearing unit 56 at its upper end that engages the bearing 46. Unit 56 is supported upon a plate S8 removably secured to the underside of bearing 46 which retains the section 14 connected to the member S4.

Member 54Y is externally threaded at its lower end to receivably engage an outer bit 60 having vertical in a recess 64 in the lower end of bit 6l?.

ring gear 66 is removably secured to the inner periphery of member 54 and lmeshes with a pinion 68 carried by a bracket 70, which bracket is journaled on tubular shaft 48; anchor post or shaft 69 is xed to member 58 at its upper end and to bracket 70 at its lowered end to prevent relative rotation between bracket An internally toothed openings 'accommodating the upper end of shaft 48.l A nipple76 connects the central portion ofhousing 74 to an opening 78 in section 14 and a conduit 80 connects the upper end of hollow shaft y48 to the periphery of housing 74. Impeller blades 82 fixed on shaft 48 are positioned in housing 74 for rotation and will draw mud through opening 78 in housing 74, and direct the mud through conduit 8l) down through shaft 48 and out through bit 50.

The inturned flange 84 of a coupling element 86 is suitably rotatably engaged in an annular groove 88 in the upper closed end of section 12 and removably supports the of an outer tubular cable 92 in which nected to the motor 52.

A cylindrical basket 96 is slidably received on cable 92 and its cylindrical wall is formed with slots 98. The lower perforated wall 100 of the basket faces a spider 102 at the upper end of the basket and the spider supports a central guide sleeve 104 slidable on the cable 92 and an ear 106 to which is attached a cord 108, whereby the basket may be selectively raised or lowered.

The mud established in cutting circulates upward through the hole until a peak is maintained then it descends into the bailer or basket. The slots 9S enable the mud to ooze down while the bailer retains the cuttings.

Since bits 50 and 60 rotate in opposite directions the entire unit will be held against rotation. The diamond bits 50 and 60 will eiectively cut cut material will be forced up the hole and will descend in the basket.

As previously noted, sections 12 and 14 are slidably related for longitudinal extension of one with respect to the other. During the use of the device, when the same is lowered into a hole, the upper section 12 may therefore remain in a predetermined lowered position and as the bits 50, 62 cut the ground, the lower section 14 may move downwardly relative to the upper section 12 without the necessity of lowering the entire device as the cutters progress downwardly.

Having described the invention, what is claimed as new l. A drilling unit including an elongated hollow body section, upper and lower ends secured in said hollow body, said lower end having a bearing aperture therein, a tubular shaft journaled in said bearing aperture and extending axially within said hollow body, the upper end of said tubular shaft terminating adjacent and below the upper end of said body, the lower end of said shaft projecting outwardly from the lower end of said body, an electric motor mounted within said hollow body, said motor being operatively connected to said tubular shaft for rotating the shaft with respect to the body, a support member rotatably mounted on the lower end in said hollow body, said support member having a bearing aperture therein, said tubular shaft extending through said bearing aperture, an inner bit secured on said tubular shaft, an outer bit secured on said support member, said outer bit having a recess receiving said inner bit, gear means operatively connecting the tubular shaft to said support member for producing opposite rotation of said inner and outer bits, a pump housing mounted in said body adjacent the top thereof, said tubular shaft extending through said housing, impeller blades mounted on said shaft in said housing, a rst conduit connecting the periphery of said housing to said tubular shaft, said body having an aperture therein, and a second conduit communicating said aperture with an inner portion of said housing.

2. The combination of claim l including an upper hollow body section, means providing a sliding connection between said body sections whereby said iirst-mentioned section may move downwardly relative to said upper body section as said bits cut a hole.

3. The combination of claim l including an upper hollow body section, means providing a sliding connection between said body sections whereby said rst-mentioned section may move downwardly relative to said upper body section as said bit cuts a hole, said means providing a sliding connection including arms mounted exteriorly on each body section and extending longitudinally thereof,

the formation and the ported on the lower end of the lower section,

said arms of the sections telescopingly slidably connecting to one another.

4. The combination of claim l including an upper hollow body section, means providing a sliding connection between said body sections whereby said tirst-mentioned section may move downwardly relative to said upper body section as said-bit cuts ahole, said means providing a sliding connection including arms mounted exteriorly on each body section and extending longitudinally thereof, said arms of the sections telescopingly slidably connecting to one another, and resilient means mounting said arms on said body sections urging said arms outwardly away from said body sections to permit the arms to ride against the wall of a hole into which the body is lowered to center the body in the hole.

5. The combination of claim l and a lowering cable swivelly connected to the body and being hollow to re ceive electrical wires that are adapted to be connected to said electric motor in said body.

6. A drilling unit comprising a tubular body including upper and lower sections and means slidably connecting the sections together, additional means slidably connecting the sections and preventing relative rotation between the sections and adapted to center the body when the body is lowered into a hole, bearings mounted in said lower section, a tubular sahft rotatably supported in said bearings and having a lower end projecting below the lower section, an outer bit, bit supporting means rotatably supan inner bit iixedly supported on the lower end of the shaft, said outer bit having a recess in its bottom accommodating the inner bit, an electric motor supported in the lower section and operatively connected to the shaft for rotating the shaft with respect to said body, gears connecting the shaft to the outer bit supporting means for rotating the outer bit opposite to the direction of rotation of the shaft and inner bit, said inner bit having a central bore aligned with the shaft, a housing in the lower section, said shaft extending through said housing, a conduit communicating the upper end of the shaft and the outer portion of said housing, an inlet nipple projecting from the inner portion of said housing and extending outward through said lower section, and impeller blades secured to the shaft and rotatably positioned in said housing.

7. The combination of claim 6 and a perforated cylindrical basket supported over the upper section.

References Cited in the le of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 750,840 Fox Feb. 2, 1904 1,350,059 Blackwell Aug. 17, 1920 1,391,626 Gilthorpe Sept. 20, 1921 1,652,833 Nesbitt Dec. 13, 1927 1,904,522 Pippin Apr. 18, 1933 2,002,387 Bannister May 21, 1935 2,084,096 Lewis June l5, 1937 2,250,912 Hudson et al July 29, 1941 FOREIGN PATENTS 346,255 Italy Feb. 4, 1937 

